Concrete hopper and gate assembly



March 19, 1957 Filed May 18, 1956 E. E. NAVE CONCRETE HOPPER AND GATEASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet l la-l INVENTOR. i424 iomeo MW:

BYWQLgl/A/W March 19, 1957 E. E. NAVE CONCRETE HOPPER AND GATE ASSEMBLY3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1956 INVEN TOR. 4124 Fawn/20 Nnv:

Armin/5K5 7 March 19, 1957 E. E. NAVE 2,785,840

CONCRETE HOPPER AND GATE ASSEMBLY Filed May 18,. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 31N VEN TOR.

424 faamea )V/WE W A @qLW United rates Patent "cc CONCRETE HOPPER ANDGATE ASSEMBLY Earl Edward Nave, Alameda, Calif., assignor to CreativeMetals Corporation, Emeryville, Califi, a corporation of CaliforniaApplication May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,798

2 Claims. (Cl. 222ll3) This invention relates to and in general has forits object the provision of a concrete hopper and gate assembly.

More specifically, the object of this invention is the provision of anassembly of the character described comprising a hopper including a pairof opposed hopper side walls and a mouth; a pair of crossed arms pivotedintermediate their ends to each side wall and to each other; a gateplate secured to and between the lower ends of each pair of transverselyopposed side walls and arranged to close upon each other immediatelybeneath the hopper mouth; spring means for biasing the upper ends ofeach pair of crossed arms towards each other; and lever actuatedlinkages connected to the upper ends of said arms for spreading theupper ends of said arms against said spring biasing means, thereby toretract said gate plates away from each other and thus open the mouth ofsaid hopper.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, withthe foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following descriptionWhere that form of the invention which has been selected forillustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thepresent specification, is outlined in full. In said drawings, one formof the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is notlimited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims maybe embodied in other forms.

Referringto the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hopper and gate assembly embodying theobjects of my invention and showing the hopper gate in its closedposition.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, but showing thechute gate in its open position.

Fig. 3 is a back elevation of the assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2..

The assembly as'illustrated in these various figures comprises agenerally downwardly convergent hopper 1 provided withopposed, inclinedside walls 2 and 3, inclined front and rear walls 4 and 5, a mouth 6including front and rear walls 7 and 8 and side walls 9 and 11terminating in arcuate'edges 12 and 13.

Weldedto and extending outwardly from the hopper side walls 2 and 3above the hopper mouth 6 are transversely aligned bearing sleeves 14 and15 reinforced by stiffening webs 16 Welded thereto and to the hopperside walls.

Within each collar 17 is an outwardly extending pin 18.

Pivoted intermediate their ends to each of the pins 18 is a pair ofcrossed arms 19 and 21, arnut 22 being threaded over the end of each ofthe pins 18 for holding the crossed arms in place. Bolted to and betweeneach of the transversely opposed pair of arms 19 and 21 at Welded to andwithin each of the free ends of the sleeves 14 and 15 is a collar 17,and welded to and 2,785,840 Fatented Mar. 19, 1957 the lower arcuateflanged ends or edges thereof are arcuate gate plates 23 and 24 arrangedwhen in edge to edge position, as shown in Fig. 1, to close the hoppermouth 6.

Welded to each of the hopper sides 2 and 3 substantially above thebearing sleeves 14 and 15 are axially aligned studs 25 and 26, thecommon axes of these studs being ofiset rearwardly relative to thecommon axes of the bearing sleeves 14 and 15. Threaded into each of thestuds 25 and 26 is a stepped bolt 27, and pivoted on each of these boltsare the ends of the side arms 28 of a U-shaped gate operator or handle29 extending forwardly of the hopper 1. Preferably, each of the arms 28is formed forwardly of its pivoted end with a bend or break 31 invertical alignment with its associated and underlying pin 18.

Pivoted to each of the arms 28 at their break or bend 31 by a bolt 32 isa pair of depending identical links 33, the lower end of each of saidlinks being pivoted by bolts 34 to the upper end of one of the crossedarms 19 and 21. Secured to and between each contiguous pair of bolts 34is a tension spring 35 serving to inwardly bias the lower ends of thecrossed arms 19 and 21, and therefore to bias the arcuate gate plates 23and 24 to their closed position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

To open the gate plates it is simply necessary to pull down on theU-shaped operator or handle 29 against the biasing action of the springs35. Upon the release of the handle 29, the springs 35 will serve toautomatically close the gates. Since the entire mechanism for operatingthe gates 23 and 24 is external to the hopper, it is isolated from theconcrete passing through the hopper and therefore cannot become fouledthereby. Also, since there is a close clearance between the gates andthe peripheral edges of the hopper mouth, these edges serve to wipe thegates free of concrete during such times as they are being opened.

I claim:

1. A hopper and gate assembly comprising a hopper, including: a pair ofopposed hopper side walls and a mouth; a pair of crossed arms pivotedintermediate their ends to each of said side walls and to each other; agate plate secured to and between the lower ends of each pair oftransversely opposed side arms and arranged to close upon each otherimmediately beneath the hopper mouth; spring means for biasing the upperends of each pair of crossed arms. towards each other; and leveractuated linkages connected to the upper. ends of said arms forspreading the upper ends of said arms against said spring biasing means,thereby to retract said gate plates away from each other and thus openthe mouth of said hopper.

2. A concrete chute and gate assembly comprising a chute including:opposed side walls and a mouth; a pair of crossed arms coaxially pivotedintermediate their ends to each of said opposed side walls and to eachother scissor fashion; a gate plate secured to and between .eachtransversely opposed pair of arms at the lower ends thereof and arrangedto close over said mouth; a link pivoted at its lower end to the upperend of each of said crossed arms, the two links of each contiguous pairof links being pivoted at'their upper ends to each other and to anoperating lever intermediate the ends of said operating lever, and eachof said levers being pivoted v No references cited.

